Each year, many thousands of women undergo something called 'colposcopy'. But a lot of them have never heard this word before and don't know what the procedure involves.

In fact, 'colposcopy' only means 'looking at the cervix'. And the instrument, which is used in order to inspect your cervix, is called a colposcope. It's really just a magnifying device, rather like a pair of binoculars on a stand.

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Your cervix is the lowest part of your womb. You can just about touch it yourself if you put a finger deep into your vagina It feels soft and rather like someone's nose.

Now, you may be surprised that anyone could use an instrument to look at your cervix, which is after all several inches inside you.

But actually, it's quite easy; all the doctor has to do is to insert a speculum, which is the 'gynae' instrument that opens the vagina wide.

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Once that has been done, the doctor can look through the colposcope and see your cervix in detail.

Please note that the colposcope does not go inside your body, as many women fear. It remains a couple of feet away.

Why would you need a colposcopy?

The main reason why you might be asked to have a colposcopy is if following a smear test (Pap smear), the report shows that you have some abnormal cells on your cervix. Or a doctor may have thought that the appearance of your cervix wasn't quite right.

Don't panic about this! Most of the time, any changes turn out to be of little significance.

But quite often, it's a good idea for an expert to take a really close look at the affected areas of your cervix, using a colposcope to see what's going on.

For 24 hours before the colposcopy, please don't have sex, use tampons or insert any creams or other medications.

What happens when you have a colposcopy?

Colposcopies are done in out-patient departments or clinics. You'll be given an appointment for the examination, which should generally be at a time when you're not menstruating.

Our advice: wear clothes that you can easily remove, as you will need to undress below the waist.

Some women prefer wearing a full skirt, so that they can just pull it up rather than taking it off.

You'll be asked to lie on a special chair or couch, which often has padded leg supports.

The colposcopist should explain what he or she is going to do and then gently slip a speculum into your vagina, so that he or she can see your cervix.

Not all women are totally happy about having a speculum put in, but if you relax as much as possible and let your muscles go loose, it'll be less uncomfortable for you.

The expert now switches on the light of her colposcope, so that she gets a really good view of your cervix. She may perhaps 'paint' it with a special solution that helps to make any abnormality show up.

Liquids, which are commonly used for this purpose, include acetic acid and iodine (but iodine is not used if you're allergic to it).

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The application of the liquid does not hurt, but it may tingle a bit or even give you slight burning sensation.

Nowadays, it's quite common for the colposcopist to take close-up photos of your cervix or possibly video it for your medical records.

In a few cases, he or she may want to do a biopsy – which means taking away a small sample of tissue from the cervix, so that the lab can examine it under the microscope.

The whole procedure usually takes around 20 minutes. Often, the colposcopist will be able to tell you right away whether you still have any abnormal areas, and whether they will need any treatment. But in many cases, mild abnormalities will get better on their own.

How will you feel afterwards?

You should feel fine. You might have a slight discharge for a couple of days afterwards. So it's good idea to bring a sanitary towel to put on immediately after the colposcopy.

Note: if a biopsy has been taken, you might get a small amount of bleeding. It's best not to use a tampon until the blood loss stops. A sanitary towel is fine.

Usually, it's OK to resume having sex about five days after a colposcopy.

What if you need treatment?

In a small number of cases, the woman needs some treatment to get rid of abnormal cells. This may be done at the initial colposcopy, or you may be called back at a later date.

In most cases, the treatment is given during a colposcopy rather than in an operating theatre, so you generally don't need to come into hospital for it.

After treatment, you may bleed for a week or so. During that time, it's best to use sanitary towels, rather than tampons. As a rule, you should not have sexual intercourse until your cervix has healed up.

What treatments are used if the colposcopy reveals abnormal cells?

Please bear in mind that most women who have a colposcopy do not need to have any treatment. But the main types of therapy are the following.

Large loop excision (LLETZ). This is a common technique for cutting out the abnormal cells, using a wire probe, heated by an electric current. You probably won't be able to have sex or use tampons for a month afterwards.

Laser treatment. This involves destroying abnormal cells with the intense light of a laser.

Cone biopsy. This is less common than it used to be; it's a hospital in-patient procedure, done under general anaesthetic. A gynaecologist cuts out a cone-shaped piece of your cervix, thus removing the abnormal cells.

Reassurance

Remember: if anything abnormal is found during your colposcopy, it's almost certain that you will be treated successfully.

The materials in this web site are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor. The web site does not have answers to all problems. Answers to specific problems may not apply to everyone. If you notice medical symptoms or feel ill, you should consult your doctor - for further information see our Terms and conditions.

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